Brothers in Another Life
by Queen of the Wallflowers
Summary: For the Quidditch Fanfiction League Round 7. AU. In another life, James had four brothers. An older brother, a twin, and a baby brother. It's his baby brother who teaches him what it means to be a brother and a protector.


**Round 7 - Pairing Palooza**

Team: Puddlemere United

Chaser 1

U.S.S True Colours - James/Regulus

Prompts:(word) scarf

(creature) Boggart

(word) tremble

AN: AU in the Muggle World

* * *

James Potter was an only child who always craved siblings.

He got in wish when he was five years old in the form of his best friend, Sirius Black.

Sirius was new to the neighborhood and as soon as the car stopped, he was out zooming around, exploring the neighborhood.

He met James by simply climbing up into his tree house.

The two boys studied each other and then James held out a comic book and the two boys sat there reading.

By the end of the week, they were out causing mischief.

Tagging along with them was four-year-old Regulus.

James was smart for his age and he noticed many things about his friends.

For example, Sirius was alway in black and alway wore jeans. Regulus' clothes were big on him and he stuck close to his brother.

They jumped at the slightest noise when adults were around and Sirius always moved away when his mother tried to touch him.

One morning, James woke up to find Regulus in his tree house.

The young boy refused to calm down and James ended up spending all day within him the house. Sirius showed up that night, limping, but Regulus jumped up when he saw his brother and hugged him tightly. James didn't miss the wince on his best friend's face.

* * *

When he was seven years old, his parents decided to foster an older boy. Remus was ten years old and very quiet. However, he fit into their makeshift family rather nicely. Remus was the older brother, there to keep them out of too much trouble. James and Sirius were the terror twins, wreaking havoc. Regulus was the baby brother, who they all protected.

James had a special fondness for Regulus.

There was something about the blue eyes that made the younger boy seem much more vulnerable than his older brother.

Sirius and Regulus spent a lot of time at his house. They even had clothes in case they ever spent the night.

They also were getting used to small touches,pats, and brushes. Regulus, however, backed away whenever someone tried to hug him.

* * *

James was eight when he asked Remus about what was abuse.

The eleven-year-old was quiet and said," It's a bad thing. It hurts."

"Sirius is being abused isn't he?"

Remus sighed and ruffled his hair.

"I think so kiddo."

"Why does he stay?"

Remus patted the bed and James climbed into the bed and slid under the covers.

"He stays because if he said anything he and Reggie would have to go away and they might get split up."

"The way Sirius and I were split up for kindergarten?"

Remus shook his head.

"Kind of but they would be really far away from each other."

James sighed and snuggled closer to Remus.

"Will you stay?"

Remus nodded and kissed his brother's forehead.

"Always kiddo."

* * *

James was ten years old when Regulus went to the hospital with a broken arm. He sat next to Sirius holding his hand as they watched the younger boy sleep.

That was the year that Remus was moved to a bigger room and that Sirius and Regulus came to live with them.

Regulus had his own room but he always slept with them.

He would crawl into bed with James who slept on the bottom bunk.

James, in turn, would wrap an arm around the younger boy and move over to Sirius would fit when he decided to squeeze in.

Remus Lupin became Remus Lupin Potter that Christmas and it was also the first Christmas that Sirius and Regulus got presents.

James would never forget the look on Regulus' face when he opened up the box containing the new skates.

"Now you can play Quidditch with us in the spring."

Regulus attacked him with a hug and James held the boy close.

It was also the first time Regulus hugged Mr. and Mrs. Potter.

James almost bursts into tears when both Sirius and Regulus open up a present in which a warm fuzzy scarf is in.

"They are made with love." His mother smiles at all her boys.

Regulus promptly wraps it around his neck and James laughs.

The picture of all four of them in their scarves in his favorite picture yet.

* * *

When James was eleven years old, he met Lily Evans and fell head over heels in love.

Of course, Lily could care less about him.

However, since she was his neighbor, she was always around him.

They were all at his house one evening, all the parents were out and Andi was babysitting them. Remus was doing his homework and Petunia, Sirius, and Bellatrix were arguing over what movie to watch. Narcissa and Regulus were both sleeping and he was reading a book while Lily was drawing.

They were both in his room to avoid the drama that Sirius and Bellatrix were causing in the kitchen and Andi had confiscated the tv remote. They had dragged Remus out to help them bake cookies and the poor boy dragged out his chemistry book to make cookies. Petunia was pouting and reading a fashion magazine,

He and Lily were enjoying the silence when Regulus came in. It was clear he had been crying. The ten-year-old's eyes were red and he was clutching a bear with a green tie in his hand.

He crawled into James' lap.

"Hey, Reggie. Bad dream?"

The boy nodded and Lily pretended not to look at them.

"Was it the mean and nasty boggart?"

"He was chasing me and I couldn't find you or Sirius or Remy."

Jame rubbed the boy's shoulder in hopes to calm the boy down and to stop the tremble.

"The boggart can't hurt you, buddy. Sirius, Remus, and I will always be here okay. Always."

"Promise?"

The boy held out a pinky and James nodded and held out his pinky.

"Promise. Now, buddy, you should go back to bed. I'm sure Narcissa is waiting to you. You don't want to leave her alone."

Regulus nodded and crept back to his room and crawled under the covers and looked at the small girl.

"Feeling better Reggie?"

"No more boggarts Cissy."

"They can't get to us. We got our family here."

The two joined hands and fell back asleep smiles on their faces.

James picked up his book again but he was thinking. Regulus had not had the boggart dream in a while and it bothered him to think the boy was hurting.

"You are good with kids, Potter."

He looked up at her.

"Surprised Evans?"

She smiled.

"Not surprised, just impressed. Let's go if the cookies are ready."

She took his head and he smiled.

It wasn't until the next day that he found the drawing on his desk.

It was of him and Regulus and he was stunned at how good and exact it was.

He framed the picture and it hung in the living room.

* * *

He was sixteen the first time, he asks Lily Evans out on a real date.

He is so nervous, he almost walks out of the house barefoot.

Remus, of course, is doing his homework, although he might be snogging his study partner Tonks.

Sirius is no help telling him all the ways the date can go wrong.

Regulus simply rolls his eyes and shoves shoes, jeans, and green shirt at him.

"Don't forget to brush your hair!"

"Yes, Mum."

He sticks out his tongue at his younger brother who tosses a pillow at him.

"The sooner you leave, the sooner Cissy can come over to watch a movie."

He leaves the house with some violets and has an amazing time on the date.

* * *

He is nineteen years old when Regulus comes home with a black eye.

The boys all meet in Remus' old room to discuss this.

They decide to confront him and the younger boy storms out angrily.

He doesn't come home that night.

The next morning, Mr. and Mrs. Potter are calling neighbors. Remus and Tonks are driving around while Sirius is in the backseat of the car. He is scared to death.

James and Lily are walking around when they bump into Bellatrix, who is back from college.

"Bella. What are you doing in town?"

"Cissy is in trouble."

James pulls Bellatrix aside to a bench and they sit down.

"I got a call saying Cissy got mixed up with some trouble. Andi came down to see her and it got ugly. She was covered with bruises and she's pregnant."

"Pregnant?"

Bellatrix nodded.

"I was looking for your brother, I was hoping he knew something."

"We can't find Reggie. He came home with a black eye and then left when he asked him about it."

The three sit deep in thought when Lily's phone rings.

"It's Alice."

Lily nods and hum and gasps.

"Alice says she saw Regulus and Narcissa enter the hospital about half an hour ago."

They call Remus and they all squeeze into the car.

Andi and her husband Ted meet them there.

When they speak to the doctor, they get the horrible news.

Narcissa had been abused by her boyfriend and was pregnant. Regulus apparently couldn't stand aside and do nothing anymore and attacked Lucius Malfoy. That was how he got the black eye and the broken rib. He apparently then kidnapped Narcissa from Malfoy's place and they drove out to the next town over to stay at an inn.

However, they were found that morning and Malfoy's cronies beat him and left them on the ground. Narcissa drove all the way to the hospital and the staff swarmed them.

James' heart in his throat when he hears the news and he has to sit down. He can see it all too clearly in his mind.

His baby brother, on the ground, bleeding, hurting.

He doesn't realize he is crying until he feels Lily wraps her arms around him. He buries his head into her stomach and cries.

They get the news that Narcissa is fine and so is her baby but Regulus is in a coma.

Regulus doesn't wake up until three months later. He comes home two weeks after that.

The house is full when he comes home.

Andi and Ted are sitting on a chair. Tonks is sitting on Remus' lap on the floor. James and Lily are in the kitchen with his parents. Sirius is right next to him, refusing to leave his side. His girlfriend, Amelia is talking with Petunia and her husband Vernon. Bellatrix is next to Narcissa, who is five months pregnant.

Regulus knows how affected his brothers are.

Remus and Tonks have talked about putting off their wedding. James checks up on him constantly and Sirius refuses to leave his side.

* * *

Regulus is nineteen when Narcissa has the baby, a boy who she names Draco. It's love at first sight for him and he sets out to help out in any way he can.

They are just two young kids who vowed to protect each other.

* * *

James is twenty-two when he gets married to Lily. It's a small wedding and a few months later they find out that Lily is pregnant. They have a boy, Harry James Potter.

James cries when he opens a box at the baby shower and finds a small red and gold scarf.

He meets Regulus' eyes and the boy shrugs.

"Family tradition."

He nods and lets a few tears slip. Losing his parents was hard but it's things like this that remind him of how lucky he was to have them.

His parents gave him three brothers.

Remus, the wise old owl. Sirius, the protector. Regulus, the baby.

Remus inherited mom's talent of cooking and baking. Sirius inherits dad's love of fixing cars. Regulus keeps the family tradition going by learning how to knit and he has the family over every holiday in the house where it all started.

* * *

James is eighty years old when Regulus dies.

Regulus was the youngest and the first one to go.

As the brothers all crowd into Regulus' room they all have so much to say but there is little time.

James remembers the little boy who followed him around and the boy he taught to skate and play quidditch. Of the man who loves to knit and married his best friend. Of the little brother who crawled into bed when the boggart came to him in the dreams.

A simple 'I love you' is enough and Regulus dies.

At the funeral, James is the second to speak and as he looks out at the family, it hits him.

He sees Narcissa sitting next to her sister Bellatrix. Behind them is Draco, his wife Luna and their fours kids. Draco's siblings are next to him and Bella's granddaughter is sitting on the floor.

His son and his wife Hermione are there with their three kids and granddaughter. His daughters are there with their husbands. Lily is sitting next to Tonks who has her granddaughter on her lap. Remus has his grandson and his son Teddy has an arm around his wife Victorie. Her family are the only redheads in the place. Petunia and her son are sitting in the back.

Sirius is standing next to him but his wife and children and grandchildren are in the crowd.

"Regulus was more than my baby brother. He was my friend, my hero, my world. We were all lucky to have gotten the chance to know him. There are so many stories I could share but if I do I won't stop crying so all I can say is ' Always, Regulus, I will always protect and love you."

He steps down and Sirius goes up.

James thinks about how important the world always had become to the family.

It was what he always said to Regulus when they were kids.

It's what Harry tells his wife every day and night when he comes home from work.

It's what Lily whispers to him every night. It's what Teddy told Victoire when she told him she was moving to France. It's what Regulus told Narcissa and Draco when married and adopted them.

It's what a former friend of theirs told Lily before he died.

* * *

James is eighty-eight years old when he dies. When he goes to heaven the first thing he sees is his Lily, young again. Her red hair is blowing in the wind and she is holding Regulus' hand.

He hugs his wife first but claps his brother's hand.

He then hugs his baby brother hard and for a while.

Then they wait for the rest of their group to join them.

It's not long before the four brothers are reunited and causing trouble in heaven.

* * *

 **Hope you guys liked this. Let me know what you think.**

 **Love You Wallflowers.**

 **-Queen**


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